A Love Story of Sorts
by Ezilabeth
Summary: After being in love with Teddy Lupin for years, Victoire decides to finally make her move and kiss him at the beginning of her seventh year at Hogwarts. But apparently, she has misinterpreted all of his flirtations for something more.
1. Goodbyes and Reunions

"I hate boys."

These were the words that greeted me once I entered the train compartment in the third car where my younger sister Dominique sat, her arms crossed over her already slightly developed chest and her eyes filled with a passionate hatred that I prayed would never be aimed towards me. She stared straight forward, glaring into space, and I took pity on whatever poor boy it was that had done her wrong.

This melodramatic outlook on life came very naturally to my juvenile sister, so I didn't have much pity or concern for her at the moment. All the same, I decided to pay along and comfort her as much to my ability (and comfort level: I'm not a hugger) as possible.

"Good to see you, too," I laughed incredulously, throwing my beaten purple backpack down beside my friend Collin, who I nodded briefly to in greeting. I had instructed him before we had boarded the train to watch over Dom as I often did until the prefect meeting adjourned, and as usual, he was opposed to it, but gave in with only a bit of light persuasion. Veela blood does come in handy. He looked pointedly at Dom, then rolled his eyes at me. I smiled fondly, knowing it was inevitable that his reaction to her misfortune would be negative. Actually, his reaction to anything to do with her would be generally alike: pessimistic.

I took the empty seat between Dom and a very quiet Hufflepuff girl, scooting closer to my sister and wrapping an awkward arm around her in an attempt at comfort. Without preamble, I plowed on, "You shouldn't hate boys. Maybe you will now, but listen to me, they aren't completely daft all the time. They do come in handy, in certain situations." This was me, trying to help, although Blunt & Cynical Victoire wanted to emerge and tell her that it was likely she'd never meet a boy she truly would like to marry, and if she did, that 90% of marriage fail or end in divorce. But, as you know, I was trying to be helpful. I mean, what are sister's for?

Dom, unperturbed by my firm tone and stubborn gate, questioned, "Like when?" Her ice blue eyes, which we had both inherited from our mother, widened in curious innocence. Those were the eyes that pulled people in and made them want your acceptance, but they didn't work quite as well with me.

"Like," I began, "helping you with homework, or doing chores. I can usually charm Lou into doing my chores at home when I want." I smirked, and she giggled into her hand. Louis was our little brother, who was now barely 6 years old. I knew I shouldn't take advantage of him like that, or for that matter, blame things on him and tease him, but it was all too easy, and of course I didn't mean it to actually hurt him or be rude. He was my brother, after all. It was all in the name of fun.

"I guess… but…" She sniffled once, and then promptly burst into tears, sobs wracking her small frame. It shouldn't have surprised me so much to see her emotions boil over like that since she had other similar fits frequently within the past month, but I still found it disturbing.

I looked over at Collin in surprise to gauge any sort of reaction or explanation that I probably wouldn't understand from a blubbering eleven-year-old, but I would be disappointed. He was skimming through a book, not looking at all concerned. He would be blocking out our conversation, I knew; he constantly did so with me when I went off on one of my fiery rants. I would be alone with this one. I turned back to Dom, unsure of what to do. I patted her awkwardly on the back, sighed, and then pulled her into a full-on hug. I wasn't a person for affection. Only a vague sisterly instinct was telling me I needed to push that aside.

"There, there," I soothed, running a hand loosely through Dom's strawberry-blonde curls. "What's the matter?"

"T-T-T-Tim doesn't l-l-like me!" she wailed, blowing her nose onto my pink sweater. I flinched, my nose wrinkling up in disgust.

"Oh, Dom," I sympathized/whined. More so whined than sympathized, really. In the past when Dom had come to me with boy troubles, I really did try to care. I dug deep within myself, searching for a smidgeon of empathy or anything, but instead I just found that I wanted to either disappear and let someone else deal with it or laugh because a first year boy calling my sister a whore was one of the funniest things I have ever heard— partly because said boy probably hadn't even reached puberty yet, and also because Dom, in my morals, couldn't be constituted for a whore until she'd shagged multiple people. And she hadn't. So, case in point.

I sighed inwardly, rolling my eyes when no one was looking. I love my sister, I really do. But she always had drama going on in her life, almost all of the time. How much can one eleven-year-old go through that her life had to be a soap opera? It hadn't really started until she began at Hogwarts only nine months ago, and that was when she suddenly grew up into a sixteen-year-old. She almost looked as old as me— which I guess isn't as bad as it sounds, because I looked young for my age. At seventeen, I was short and petite, although not lacking curves. I still had some baby fat in my cheeks and didn't usually wear make-up. My mother's genes helped with the whole acne-situation, if you're excluding the occasional stress-related break out, so I never really needed it.

Whereas I looked younger for my age, Dom looked much older for hers. She'd already developed a figure (well, as much of a figure as a pre-teen can) and was an inch taller than me. She had already started using make-up and wearing more grown-up clothes, mainly borrowed (stolen) from my closet. She hung out with second and third years as opposed in preference to her own. Oh yeah, and when I felt generous, Collin and I.

In not even a year at Hogwarts, she has had more boyfriends than I've had in my life and experienced exponentially more drama than I have. It was a little ridiculous, but I decided to let her figure it out on her own… with maybe a little meddling on my part, when I got bored with my own recurrent lifestyle. But of course, that would all be changing soon.

"Tim? That little Ravenclaw bloke? Oh please, he's… you could do _so _much better…" I said half-halfheartedly. This was my discreet way of telling her, _Sorry, sweetie, but it ain't happening. _

"Well," I continued, wracking my brain for something to say, "if it makes you feel any better, boys are just as dumb in my year as they are in yours. So… don't be looking forward to them maturing or anything, because it's not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe when they graduate, but…"

Dom's face was generally depressed through my rambling, but towards the end, she suddenly brightened, "Ooh, like Teddy?"

"Actually, yes," I said, my eyebrows scrunching. "He's mature… somewhat. Sometimes. Yeah, Teddy."

"So is _that _why you haven't gone with anyone this year? Because you want to be with Teddy, since he's grown-up?" she inquired eagerly, a smile spreading across lipstick-slathered lips. I could feel my face growing hot, and my eyes widened.

"What? No, of course not… there are plenty of boys in my year that I…"

"Like who?" she interjected, a devilish smirk on her lips that I was very afraid she had caught on to because of me. I glanced frantically over at Collin, who was still innocently reading his book that was propped up on bent knees, his dark brow furrowed in concentration and his spectacles on the bridge of his nose.

"Like Collin," I blurted, and watched the triumphant smirk fall from her red, glossy lips. Said seventh year's head snapped up, and a _You called? _expression formed on his relatively handsome face.

"Oh, so you fancy him?" Dom said, looking disappointed and a touch confused. I grunted noncommittally, giving him a _Just go with it_ look. His look became questioning, and I shook my head slightly, letting him know I'd explain later. Collin and I often had non-verbal conversations such as this.

"Anyways," I said quickly, getting up from my seat and plopping down next to Collin, "we should all get dressed out of our robes for when we reach the station." I was desperate to change the course in conversation, and Collin also seemed eager to rid of it, too.

"Can we please get out of this hellhole of estrogen?" Collin muttered to me, his lips quirked on one side. I smothered a smile and nodded, getting up and following him out of the compartment with a final wave to Dom and the nameless Hufflepuff.

"Never again, Vic, never again!" Collin exclaimed in disgust once I'd indicated he could turn around when I finished dressing.

"Aw, Collin, c'mon. She's my little sister, and I have to be there for her, but you know how it is with psycho Head Girl Helen and having to show up at prefect meetings. Frankly, she scares me. Whenever I'm near her, I'm constantly in fear of her ripping off my boobs with her own two hands."

"I know, right?" Collin agreed, resigning his argument for later. "I'm afraid she'll steal my first born child."

"Wow, at first I thought you were afraid for your obviously large bosoms. Besides, if your first born child is anything like you, I don't see why she'd want to steal the thing… Ow!" I rubbed my arm where Collin had punched me, and I looked up to see him laughing. "HEY!" I whined, punching him back.

As one bloke says to his significant other when trying to explain his act of cheating, one thing led to another, and… Wait, revise that. One punch led to another, and… a full-out punch-war in the middle of the swift-moving train ensued. Not exactly the best idea, but a good recommendation for a laugh.

After a series of poorly aimed punches and halfhearted kicks, a voice broke through the grunting and laughing that came from us.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you two! I should've known to just look for a fracas and you two would be there," a familiar voice called, pushing past some amused onlookers and approaching us.

Collin and I disentangled ourselves from each other, where he had me in a headlock and I was trying to hook my ankle around his and yank so he'd fall. We looked over to see my best friend striding towards us, her dark hair in two curly braids and her obsidian eyes narrowed in disapproval. I grinned crookedly at her.

"'Fracas,' Sheela? Really?" I taunted, rolling my eyes. She stuck out her tongue and then turned to Collin, "I'm guessing you initiated this?"

"Yes!" I yelled, and Collin, at the same time, "No!"

Collin's head whipped around to look at me, accusation and exasperation in his glittering blue eyes. I smirked and told him, "You know I love you, Collin, but I'll never hesitate to throw you under the bus."

"We're on a train."

"And that's where you're wrong again, because we're actually in a train."

"You're an arse."

"Ahem, _smart _arse."

"You wish."

Sheela was now beside us, already dressed out of her robes and into a green turtleneck and flared jeans. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she looked amused as she cut us off from our bickering, "Are you two done yet? It's like you're an old married couple."

"Shh, don't say the 'c' word around Collin. He's still pretty broken-up about the last time I rejected him," I mock-whispered to Sheela, who looked like she was trying very hard not to snicker. Ah, my partner in crime.

"Last time? That would be, what, third year? Please, that was when I didn't know any better," he huffed. Even though I had only been joking, I could tell I had hurt his ego. I guess when you're a teenage boy, what I had learned, is that an ego is about all that you have. That's why, a moment later when I saw him biting his lip and his eyes looking downcast, I felt bad. Well, at least more sympathetic than I had towards my sister.

I made up for it by looping an arm through his and planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek, pulling back to exclaim, "Good, so now you _do _know better." We shared a smile and then entered a half-full compartment at the end of the car where Sheela had been saving us seats.

We were just settling into our seats and greeting the other three people already inside, a couple of boys who had crushes on Sheela and a girl who had a crush on Collin (I have attractive friends, apparently) when the train stopped.

"We're already here?" Tanner questioned, his blonde head pushing past me to look out the window. He pressed his face against the glass (which I found annoying and highly unnecessary since the windows were clear) to, sure enough, see that we had reached our destination.

"Oh God," Sheela said, her eyebrows scrunched and her exotic eyes watery. Her hand was held to her stomach, and she looked saddened and ill. I was immediately concerned, learning forward and trying to meet her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked in a quiet voice, not wanting her admirers to bust in and try to save the day. Thank goodness Collin had distracted them with a deep discussion about Quidditch, the only thing all wizards universally could carry a conversation about, it seemed.

Sheela looked tentatively up at me, a single tear skipping down her smooth, bronzed cheek. "We've graduated, Vic. We're going to be out in the real world now. What'll I do? And what if I lose you and all my friends, my old life? I like the way things are— or, well, were."

I didn't do well with philosophical, and I didn't do well with mushy. But I did well with my best friend, and sometimes that's all you need. "Sheela, wherever your life takes you, you'll be amazing. Trust me, I know you, and you're the single most brilliant witch I've met. And no matter what, we'll always be friends. You won't be able to get rid of me if you tried. Besides, I need you."

"Correction: we need each other," she said, smiling weakly, but gratefully. "And thanks." I smiled and settled back into my seat, feeling relieved, even though everything that was bothering her was definitely bothering me, too.

This year, I became a legal adult. Technically, even though I knew they wouldn't, my parents could kick me out of their house. I'd have to find a place of my own anyways, and I'd have to build a career for myself. But I was utterly lost on all of it.

Whereas Sheela had to deal with her life beginning now, I had pushed it back until the fall. This summer would be my final vacation before I'd have to figure things out, for real this time. I'd have to get serious. And thankfully, I had Teddy, a whole summer, and lots of new places to go to. Essentially, the perfect distraction and transition into what I would be for the rest of my life.

We all bustled around for a while, grabbing our luggage and giving quick hugs and blowing kisses, shoving past each other to get off the train. Sheela followed me out of the train and I immediately spotted the mob of people that took up about half of the traffic: my family. I smiled and help up a finger to my father, letting him know that he'd only have to wait a moment. I'd missed him a lot since Christmas break, and writing letters, to me, just wasn't enough. He smiled warmly back, the scars on his face that would be intimidating to others but were familiar to me crinkling on his face.

"I'll write you all the time, okay? And I'm not just saying that offhandedly like I do to those people who you consider an acquaintance but in reality don't really want to take up time caring about, you know? I swear I'll write," I ranted passionately. Sheela and Collin smiled, nodding and agreeing that they would definitely do the same.

Even though I disliked hugging, I loved Sheela and Collin more than that. And plus, when you grow up with half of the population of gingers in Scotland, you sort of grow used to all the hugging and affection.

I pulled Sheela towards me first, making a big show of lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. She hugged me so tight I groaned in pain, which only made us all laugh. _Oh God, I'm going to miss them. _And at the same time… I was so excited to be going back to my family and going home. It was like paradise to me, and the ultimate way to feel better. Even if I was feeling sad about graduating and possibly never seeing my friends again, my family would make it better. When I feel sad, I have a tendency to regress into myself, to be isolated. But when I feel sad and the Weasleys are involved (which, lets face it, they usually are) we go out and have fun and play games and laugh. The ultimate therapy.

"I'll miss you," Sheela lamented, burying her curly head in my neck. I could still smell the faint scent of Indian food on her, which I knew was the smell of her home. I'd miss that smell, as much as I detested curry.

We pulled apart and she stepped back beside Collin, waiting for her chance to probably hug me again and then leave with Collin in tow so they could make their goodbyes.

"Collin," I said sadly, and pulled him forward into a tight embrace. To my own surprise, I didn't even feel uncomfortable when the hug lasted longer than normal. I'd usually be squirming by then, not knowing where I should place my hands or if I should pull away or say something—?

Collin pulled back, one of his arms staying tightly wound around my waist and the other moving up to behind my neck, and suddenly overpowered me with a big, hasty kiss on my lips. It was so quick and I was so surprised that I only got to close my eyes for a moment, and then he was being dragged away by a laughing Sheela, who had already let out a catcall of her own in the excitement. The people immediately around us were smiling or laughing, although I did notice a trio of fourth year Hufflepuff boys I recognized glaring at Collin in anger and jealousy. I couldn't help but giggle at that.

"What the—?" I began, my jaw open in surprise as Sheela shoved Collin in the shoulder playfully.

"He told me he might do this," Sheela said, indicating the surprise-attack kiss. I looked over to see if I could gauge Collin's reaction, because on my part, I was feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed and just a smidgen exhilarated. He seemed annoyingly smug and also, like me, a smidgen exhilarated. I had no doubt in my mind that I was bright red, which I'm sure was utterly attractive. Hey, I mean, I just can't help it.

"Might do what?" I asked in a voice an octave higher than my own.

"That he would try something on you. He thinks since this could essentially be the last moment he ever sees you, that he should do something crazy and kiss you in front of everyone, just to see what it feels like." Sheela rolled her eyes, hitting him again in the arm.

"Well, in that case, Collin, you should've let me know ahead of time… that way, I could've made it last," I said, winking at him.

"Could I charm you for a re-do?" Collin teased.

"Oh, gag me with a spoon," Sheela muttered, but she couldn't hold back her giddy smile. I smiled back at them, feeling high amounts of happy and sad.

"I love you both to bits. You know that, right?" I said, getting serious and dangerously fluffy and bathetic for a moment. They nodded in unison. And that was my impromptu goodbye. We had agreed weeks earlier that we wouldn't say the actual words 'good-bye' or any formation of them, because it was too formal. Too set in stone. Too common. And we did things our own way.

I turned and finally pushed through the now more dwindling crowd, waving to a few underclassmen who yelled to me their farewells. A boy from Ravenclaw in my year that I didn't really know but saw in the hallways attacked me with a hug, claiming that his friends had dared him to kiss me or ask me for my number but he didn't want to embarrass himself or me. I laughed at that, and because he was charming in a funny, little-brother kind of way, I gave him my mother's muggle home number and told him that he could owl me whenever he wanted. He seemed overcome with emotion at this point, and just nodded in a jerky fashion, stammered a bit (and while doing so, told me his name, which was "Hen-hen-hen-Henry"), and then rushed away.

I looked over to see that, sure enough, a group of shoving and laughing idiotic Ravenclaws were standing twenty feet away, watching us with amusement. I waved jokingly at them, and they fell apart with laughter, slapping each others backs and guffawing. I rolled my eyes and continued on.

I pushed my heavy cart ahead of me, knocking lightly on the cage to get my diva of a barn owl, Diamond, to shut up. Guess who named him that. Good guess, but that was a trick question. It was combination of the blonde within my mother and the fabulousness that is Dominique Weasley. But two complicated minds like that together, and you have two brain cells to come up with the shiniest and most sparkly of all things. Thank God for my father.

Speaking of which, the crowd parted in that moment, and it was like the end of one of those cheesy RomComs I get from the muggle mall. There stood my mother and father, their hands wrapped around each others and delight written across their faces as they spotted me. Suddenly, Dom was at my side, and we were rushing our carts over, pushing them aside, and grabbing on to the closest parent we could find.

The closest one happened to be my father, only the best dad ever. Yes, I am a proud and devoted daddy's girl, and don't you ever forget it. (And this is where you say "Forget what?" and I slap you). He wrapped me up in a hug that was loving and safe, and I sighed into his shoulder, my feet leaving the ground as he lifted me up, squeezing me tighter and then gently setting me back down.

"Oh, how I've missed you, Vivi," Dad sighed, pulling back to look me over, as he always did. "And you're fine?" I never know why he does this— as if I'll have bruises or blood on me or anything. But I guess when you've been attacked by a werewolf and riffraff as such, it's never not okay to be too safe.

"I'm great, Dad. Glad to be going home," I said honestly, and now that I was within the swirls of welcome's in my extended family, I felt very relieved to be with people I knew so well and was so familiar and comfortable with.

Then came my mother, who pulled me into a soft hug, her hair like a silk curtain of pearl and the long-awaited scent of flowers that came with my mother enveloping me. I guess I had underestimated how much I had missed my mother, no matter how overbearing she could be.

She pulled away to brush back my hair with one hand, still holding me in the circle of her embrace. She spoke softly in her beautiful, light accent making my name sound like a song, "Victoire." Weasley kind of ruins the effect, so we're leaving that part out, okay? Sometimes, when my father wasn't in hearing range, she'd coo to me softly while playing with my hair, _"Victoire DeLacour…" _in a voice like melted chocolate.

"I've missed you, Mozzer," I said, laughing lightly at my imitation of her accent. Her nose scrunched up in offense, but I knew she was holding back a smile.

"You, my Victoire, I've missed so much." She tucked a piece of stray silvery-blonde hair behind my ear, her fingers lightly touching the four silver-ringed piercings along my ear. She looked surprised for a moment, staring at my ear, and I knew then her brain would turn on and eventually two and two would glance at each other, have a staring-contest, make odd yet amusing facial expressions at each other, comb each others hair, braid each others hair, and do other non-important willy-nilly things until finally, after much foreplay, would two and two be put together and she'd figure out that Sheela and all of our dormmates had decided to pierce each others ears one night, just for the fun of it.

"Well, I'm going to go say hello to everyone else!" I said quickly, retreating from my mother and that damn quizzical look on her face. I held back a laugh with having gotten away with it (for now; it'd probably take a couple of weeks for it to sink in with my mother. She gets distracted easily. Especially by shiny and/or sparkly things).

I turned and, sticking with my Weasley/Potter family reunion hugging-method, grabbed the closest redhead and gave them a quick squeeze before pushing them aside and moving on to the next. Once that was done, I'd seek out the messy heads of black hair and that would be that.

"Oh, Lily," I cooed, dropping to my knees and hugging her small frame tightly. She was probably the cutest nine-year-old I had ever met, with a gap-toothed smile and rosy cheeks that were oh-so-pinch-able. Her hair was much like her mother's; sleek, straight, and the Weasley signature auburn. Her tiny, freckled arms looped around my neck, and she giggled as I tickled her lightly in the stomach. She squirmed away from me, her tongue sticking out between the gaps in her teeth.

"Vicky!" she whined, still giggling. I chuckled and stood up, ruffling her hair before being pulled into many other hugs by many other family members. Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny. My cousins James and Albus. Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, their son Hugo, my little brother Louis. Uncle Percy, his daughters Lucy and Molly, my Uncle George and Aunt Angelina, and more. I won't bore you with a long list of names— just clarify you with the essentials.

Finally, we got our carts and flew in a mass through platform 9 ? and back to King's Cross Station. It took us quite awhile (almost an hour) to load all of our stuff into all of the vehicles provided, which mainly consisted of Grandpa Arthur's (mostly) perfected flying cars, patent pending. He had the time in his retirement years to develop new blueprints and ideas for a new model, and after many an attempt, mastered making one that could work… sufficiently. Mostly sufficiently. Really, it only was horrible if you're being nit-picky.

Anyways, he had provided each of his children's families with one a couple of years ago, which meant that my father, Bill Weasley, owned a brand-spanking-new magic flying car that worked semi-sufficiently. A magnificent and highly generous deal, if you ask me. Ours was sleek and blue, a German car that I didn't know the name or make of, but the rims spun even when the car stopped which I thought was pretty cool.

Dom was going on and on about school to Mom as I loaded Diamond into the boot of the car, and I wasn't really paying attention until she asked, "Where's Teddy?"

I tried to act casual even as my hands broke into a sweat and the cage slipped a little and clanged against the car. I blew a piece of platinum blonde hair out of my eyes, using extra care to nestle the cage against a blanket as Diamond let out a squawk of disapproval.

"He was with us back at the station… maybe he's saying hello to the Potter boys. You know how close they are," my dad said, shrugging. I sighed and let my shoulders relax. I finally pulled back from the trunk and eavesdropping, slamming the door shut over our luggage.

"There he is!" Dom suddenly called, peering around the other groups of family members and friends around us (we were all parked in the same vicinity as each other. We're like wolves: we travel in packs). "Oi, Teddy!"

I felt a light, fluttery feeling in my stomach but quickly dismissed it. I couldn't still be having a creepy crush on Teddy Lupin— like he'd told me when I kissed him at the beginning of seventh year by the Hogwarts Express, he only saw me as a little sister, nothing more and nothing less.

I turned to see Teddy striding towards us, a bright smile lighting up his handsome face and his arms already open to pull Dom into a friendly hug. As they greeted each other, I inspected him head-to-toe, noting how his hair was now a light aqua and his skin was several shades paler than the last time I saw him. I could remember quite clearly the last time I saw him: it was after a summer and pure bliss spent with my new best friend, Teddy. We had swam and ran and played around that summer, the best summer of my life. I guess I was stupid to think he had feelings for me, but I couldn't help myself. I had let myself drink him in, looking at every part of him in awe, my heart so in love that it ached. That love had made me fearless and oh so utterly stupid, for I had looked in those glorious navy eyes, flicked my eyes down to that enticing, full-lipped smile, wondered what my skin would feel like against the ivory of his, and then threw myself forward to kiss him for all it was worth. Well, apparently I had read all the cards wrong because… yeah, I was way into the depths of the friend zone, apparently. Which sucks big time.

He had yanked me away from him and awkwardly confessed, pity in his changing-from-navy-to-light-blue-eyes, that he was sorry if he lead me on, but he only saw me as a little sister. If I hadn't been so mortified, I might've tried a little harder; like maybe saying, "Incest is best!"

I don't think that would've convinced him, however.

Considering the last time I had seen him he had rejected me and humiliated me, and I had totally thrown myself at him like a desperate slag, I knew this reunion wouldn't be a walk in the park. Should I act like nothing happened? Should I avoid him? What if he wants to talk? Thoughts ran through my mind at warp-speed, making me dizzy and confused. I blinked hard and came back to reality, seeing that Teddy was now turning towards me.

I must've looked a little creepy, like I had been staring at him intensely for a while. Truth was, I was staring into space, not really seeing anything but still managing to potentially creep people out. I try, I try.

"Vic, hey," Teddy said slowly, taking tentative steps towards me. He had made the first move which would set the tone of our future relationship, and now I knew how it would be. Awkward and painful.

I cleared my throat before squeaking out, "Hi!" Now I had a creepy voice to match my creepy stance and creepy wide-eyed stare. I mean, how else do you think all boys love me? By being nice and cute and flirty? Psh, that never works.

We ensued in a second-long half-hug, uncomfortable and lacking in what to say. His eyes changed to that dreaded light blue that said he felt bad for me, and I felt attempted to smack him. But I restrained myself, clenching my hands at my side and forcing a tight smile.

"How are you?" he asked, looking concerned. I wasn't quite sure what my expression looked like, but considering that he seemed worried, it probably wasn't good.

"I'm fine. Yep, just dandy. And you?"

"Ahem. Fine. I'm fine."

*Insert excruciating silence here.*

"Well, I better go—," I started at the same time he blurted, "We should talk."

My jaw dropped a little, and his cheeks turned bright red.

"I mean—," we both began, and then stopped. We laughed uncertainly, and I could feel my tense mood lightening, if only a bit. His smile was enough to make me ease up, but I was still shaking in my metaphorical boots.

"We should talk… later. Yeah, later," he decided, as if talking to himself. I nodded, trying to be calm, cool, and collected. In all honesty, I probably looked stoned.

"We'll have plenty of time for that what with the summer ahead of us," I recalled. Last year, the idea of spending almost a whole summer traveling with Teddy and his friends in celebration of my graduating school and Teddy opening his own book shop in Hogsmeade seemed like heaven. Now, it seemed like it would be agony, having to see Teddy every day and try to endure stiff, forced small talk and know that he would never be mine. Now I was pretty sure I had been demoted from "little sister" to "creepy stalker."

"Come on, Vic," my sister called, thankfully breaking the tension between Teddy and I. I jumped a bit and decided to be nicer to Dom for the rest of the day. But only for today.

That night, the whole family gathered at the Burrow to have a celebratory dinner in honor of my graduation. We pretty much did this for anything and everything. Graduate school, throw a party. Get a promotion, throw a party. Successfully blow your nose, throw a party.

Rose ran her mouth talking to me, ranging from excitement of starting Hogwarts and complaining about Al and James. I added my two cents every time she paused for breath.

I avoided Teddy with every cell in my body. He seemed rather content with this.

Before I knew it, my mother was shooing me off too bed ("You don't want bags under your eyes!"), and too soon, my alarm was ringing and I would be leaving for a summer of traveling with a boy I was helplessly in love with.

* * *

><p>AN: I hope you like it! Leave a review? Yes? Eh, eh, yes? Please? You will be rewarded... with my gratitude. And everyone knows you can't put a price on that.

-Elizabeth


	2. A Taxi Cab Ride

I had all of my things all packed and ready to go in a set of Louis Vuitton suitcases that my mother made me lug around for the sake of looking rich and fashionable. I wouldn't have minded a couple of beat-up duffel bags, however.

Mother insisted on packing half of my bags, which meant I had twice as much luggage as I would've had. She made a big fuss about everything, like having three back-up tooth brushes and fancy dresses for every occasion. Apparently you had to dress nice for Broadway, Mother tells me. I've never been out of the country before, and I've barely heard of New York except for what I see in movies. The taxi cabs, fashion, pigeons, tall buildings and all that.

I was also equipped with pepper spray and a knife (because downtown areas could get pretty sketchy, according to my very knowledgeable and protective father), and way too many pairs of high-heeled boots and a lacy push-up bra (because the city had lots of cute, young, and single men, according to my desperate-for-grandchildren-mother).

Louis told me that I should always stay up past my bedtime and eat lots of ice cream, because I should let loose and be crazy now that I had graduated. Dom told me that I should always wear my hair down because American boys liked blondes. Rose told me I shouldn't talk to strangers, because American boys like blondes. I think my sister shouldn't hang out with Rose too much.

I stood at the door now of the Burrow, watching my father carry my bags to the taxi cab idling in front of the house. The driver smoked a fag and watched my mother with lazy eyes, making my father angry and a little uncomfortable, jostling my stuff around and glaring at the guy. My mother, as usual, didn't notice (or chose to ignore it) and continued to hang off my arm, chatting away to me about all of the places I should go and what I should do and blah blah blah.

"There's a little bistro on the corner of-" my mother prattled, but I couldn't manage to pay attention for too long. I was distracted, gazing across the lawn at Teddy. He was bent down on one knee laughing and talking to all of the kids. Rose was sitting cross-legged in front of him, Lily was propped up on his knee, Al was leaning on his shoulder, and James was shoving his other shoulder. Uncle Percy and Aunt Aubrey's daughters, my cousins Lucy and Molly, also sat with them, giggling at something Teddy said. I smiled to myself, my heart aching at the perfection of this boy...

"I'll miss you so much, Victoire," my mother lamented, her pained voice cutting through my foggy thoughts. I blinked and looked over at my mother's teary eyes, blue and crystalline, the ones that she had given me.

I sighed, pulling her into a tight hug. She crushed me in her strong yet bony arms, shaking with suppressed sobs. I always thought my mother was a bit dramatic, but I found myself biting my lip a bit too hard to hold back my own tears.

"I'll miss you too, Maman," I whispered. I didn't have to see her face to know she was smiling. We finally pulled apart, and I was then pulled into another whirlwind of many hugs and salutations.

It took three family members to pull Lily off of Teddy, and then four people to detach Louis from my legs. Once the children were safely caged inside the house (because if they were permitted outside, surely one of them would become a stowaway or would cement us both to the property so we couldn't leave. The littles were like sand in your house after a day at the beach- EVERYWHERE), we were finally free to leave.

Teddy slid in first. I threw my purse in after him in the middle seat to separate us, and then climbed inside after him. I waved one last time to my family, then shut the door after us. There seemed to be a small commotion happening towards the back of the group, and I could see Uncle Harry, his hand on his shaking head and smiling fondly. I realized soon why.

James had broken through the front of the group and ran up to us, and he reached us just as the driver began to pull away. I watched James through the glass. He was grinning widely; he then pointed at Teddy, then pointed at me, made a heart with his hands, and for the grand finale, made exaggerated kissing faces and laughed so loudly I could hear him through the glass.

We finally pulled completely out of the driveway, and the further we drove, the more my face reddened. I tentatively looked over at Teddy. His face was equally red, and he looked about as uncomfortable as I felt.

"Um-"

"We-"

We both spoke at the same time, and I shifted in my seat as we both let out an awkward laugh.

"Go ahead," I began.

"No, you can start-"

"No, really it's fine-"

"Do you want me to close the partition?" the driver suddenly asked loudly, cutting off our light bickering.

Without answering, Teddy's hand shot out and slammed the plastic sliding door shut. Immediately, the sound of soft jazz from the radio ceased. I jumped from the loud _slam, _and then sat for a moment in awkward silence.

And then, finally:

"We should talk."

"Do you wanna eat something?"

We both spoke at the same time. I could feel my face blush all over again, and I let out another odd-sounding trill of discomfited laughter. My throat was constricting with nerves; I didn't want to 'talk.' Why did he? Didn't he know how horrible this would be for me? I already knew he didn't feel what I felt- I didn't need him to say it again.

"Talk about what? I don't think we have anything we need to talk about," I said, deciding to break the new bout of silence. I bit my lip and peeked through the part in my silvery blonde hair, gauging his reaction. He was looking back at me, a line of frustration appearing between his cobalt blue eyebrows.

"Victoire, you know as well as I do what happened-"

"Are you sure you don't want to stop for something to eat? Breakfast wasn't very filling-"

"I _really _think we need to talk about this-"

"Maybe McDonald's?"

"Listen-!"

"I don't know, it's kind of-"

"You kissed me, and-" Teddy's voice began to rise, so I raised mine as well. And as it rose in volume, it rose in pitch, making my voice sound slightly squeaky.

"If you've seen Super-size_ Me _it could be kind of gross-"

"VIC!" Teddy suddenly yelled, his voice so loud I jumped in my seat.

"What- what on earth-?" I began, spluttering to say something coherent. I avoided eye contact, my fingers fidgeting in my lap. I was seriously considering opening the cab door to jump and roll.

"Victoire, we _do _need to talk, okay?" he insisted. I let my eyes rove over him then, taking in his urgent, exasperated expression, his clenched jaw, his fisted hands. I nodded slowly, lowering my eyes in shame.

I ran a finger over the cracked leather interior, feeling the smooth bumps beneath my fingertips.

Teddy sighed and began: "At the beginning of your seventh year, at the Hogwarts Express, you kissed me."

I sniffed indignantly and began to draw circles in the leather, my vision becoming unfocused. I bit my cheek, trying to hold back my embarrassment. I tended to cry when I was embarrassed, and when that happened, it only made me more embarrassed, which made me cry harder. If I fell apart in front of Teddy, I don't know how I could face him again.

"You kissed me and..."

I nodded vaguely, biting harder on my cheek as my vision became blurrier.

"And I just wanted to tell you, Vic, that... maybe last summer I gave you the wrong impression, and I never meant to lead you on..."

I could taste the metallic, salty pang of blood from biting my cheek. My vision became blurrier, and I sniffed to keep my nose from running.

"I think you misinterpreted my feelings."

I traced circles faster, now unable to see anything but blurred gray.

"I've noticed that things have been a little tense."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat, water now pooling uncontrollably in my eyes.

"And I just hope we can still be friends."

Finally, a tear drop fell from my eye and my vision cleared. The drop fell into a tear in the upholstery dissolving in the white cushioning peeking through the cheap, gray leather.

I opened my mouth to say something, to just acknowledge that he had spoken, but I didn't open my mouth in fear of a sob escaping. I nodded my head slightly, hoping that would be answer enough.

Apparently it was.

We sat in silence for the next hour. I leaned my head against the headrest and closed my eyes, praying for the reprieve that sleep would bring. Unfortunately, my mind had other ideas. I could only hear Teddy's voice rejecting me, both times, over and over in my head.

I felt so stupid. Why did I ever think that Teddy could like me? That he could ever feel something for _me? _I was young, nearly three years his inferior. I was naïve and shallow, officious and sassy. I wasn't kind or gracious like Teddy. I wasn't even that smart. I read all the signals wrong. I was so, so stupid.

And on top of being shit at reading signals, there was also the blow that he didn't have feelings for me. It's such an amazing, giddy feeling to love someone. It's exponentially better when that someone can reciprocate those feelings. I guess Teddy just couldn't see me as someone he could love.

And, now, welcome to my pity party.

_Whatever. It's not like it's a big surprise that he doesn't like me. Teddy is gorgeous. His hair changes color. My hair is always blonde. It will always be blonde. I bet there a plenty of mature, beautiful, kind, strong, funny witches out there that he would be with before me. Hell, I bet there are plenty of muggles that he would be with before me! I'm so stupid. I barely passed my O.W.L.s in fifth year. I barely know anything about anything. All I have going for me is that I'm a pretty face. Other than that, nada. I'm shit at quidditch. I'm shit at school. I'm shit at figuring out my future. I'm shit at getting a decent guy to like me. I'm shit at everything! _

I pouted for awhile during and after this inner-monologue.

When the cab finally pulled to a stop, I opened my eyes and sat up straight.

"What? Are we there?" I asked rapidly, eager to get out of the claustrophobic vehicle of doom. Teddy wasn't at alert like I was, but instead relaxed against the back of his seat. I looked out the window to see that we were only stopped in traffic. The sun was just reaching its highest point in the sky, and I could see mirages in the distant road ahead. I could tell just from looking that it was hot outside, even this early in the summer.

There was honking ahead, and I could see the flashing of police sirens far down the sloping highway.

"There's a wreck," the cabbie said, partially sliding open the plastic partition. Smoke from his cigarette floated through and met my nostrils, silvery tendrils swirling in the backseat of the taxi. Barely a second passed before he slid it back shut. Maybe he had heard some of our yelling from earlier and didn't want a repeat episode. I have no idea why, however, because my life is obviously better than any and all sitcoms/soaps.

"I guess stopping for food soon is a bust," I muttered bitterly, glaring at the back of the passenger's seat in front of me. I kicked it in frustration, being melodramatic as always.

"Here," Teddy said, conjuring up a bag of peanuts from his pocket. My face brightened and I snatched it from his hands, tearing it open with a quick swipe of my teeth. I began to ravenously shovel handfuls of peanuts into my mouth until the bag was empty. I let out a disappointed whimper, and then tried to make the most of the remaining greasy salt on my fingers.

The sound of Teddy's chuckle made me look over, surprised. He was smiling fondly at me, and I squirmed a bit under his gaze.

"What?" I questioned, finishing off the salt on my thumb and proceeding to gingerly wipe my hands on my ripped jeans.

"You have all of the grace and elegance of a truck driver," he said, smirking. I fluttered my eyelashes, pretending to look flattered.

"Oh, well, you know me..." I said, unable to keep the flirty lilt out of my voice. Then I caught myself slipping back into my old way of coquetry with Teddy. I bit my lip and tried to hold back my blush.

Would this be our friendship from now on? Me flirting, catching myself, and then blushing awkwardly? A silence filled with tense discomfort until one of us fills it with inconsequent babble? I had a feeling it would take more than a brief, one-sided 'talk' to get past this rift in our friendship. And to think, I was all to blame for this. If I had been a bit more tentative with my bold declarations of love, this mutual discomposure wouldn't be happening.

"Listen," Teddy said, sensing my plight, "I don't want things to change between us because of this. I want things to go back to the way they were."

"Right. Yeah, you're totally right," I said quickly, waving a dismissive hand in the air. In actuality, I wasn't dismissive- rather, I was quite circumspect. However, Teddy didn't seem to notice my apprehension and smiled at me in obvious mitigation. I forced myself to smile back, hoping it didn't look strained or less than genuine.

We sat in traffic for awhile, chatting mildly over the cacophony of blaring car horns. Teddy told me that his friends were amazing, and that I would love them. That we were going to have a phenomenal summer together that'll top even last year's. I winced at this, because that was the summer that I convinced myself that there was something between us. He didn't seem to notice, though, and continued with the descriptions of his best friends: Beck, Guare, and Advent. Also coming would be Beck's little sister Reeni, Guare's girlfriend Sonia, Sonia's best friend Arkaria, and Advent's cousin Quill.

I had briefly met his best mate Beck the summer prior, and from what I could tell he was a pretty decent bloke. He had been relatively short, with a strong build and dishwater-blonde hair, lots of facial scruff, and an air of magnetism and confidence that made you immediately drawn to him. He wasn't exactly handsome, but something about him demanded your attention. I could see why Teddy and him were mates; they were practically brothers.

The others in the group, however, I had never met. I could vaguely remember hearing of a Guare when at Hogwarts, but since they had been several years above me, I wasn't exactly close chums with them. Teddy and I didn't really bond until the age gap between us wasn't as wide as it seemed in younger years. Ten years old to thirteen would seem like a lifetime, whereas twenty hardly seemed older than nearly eighteen.

"I think you'll like Reeni. She's very sweet and funny. It's hard not to like her, to be honest," Teddy said conversationally. I felt a squirming in my gut that could be translated as jealousy, but I ignored it and smiled in interest.

"Really?"

"Mhm. And as for Sonia... well, I've no idea. I feel like you'll either dislike her with a passion or become best friends. It's hard to tell now." He looked contemplative, and I could feel my curiosity peaked. Teddy was a great friend and all, but it would be nice to make some girl friends on the trip, too.

"Oh? And why's that?" I inquired, turning in my seat to face him.

"Because... well, you're rather alike... in some senses," he said carefully, smirking.

"So, she's charming and witty and beautiful?" I asked, smiling coyly. He smirked wider, eyeing me up and down. I could feel my body melt to jelly and my heart beat faster with his eyes roving over me, my insides warming...

"Those senses and others. Like subtlety and modesty," he replied smoothly. I tilted my head back and laughed, swatting at his arm.

"I'm as modest as they come, m'dear," I said good-naturedly, flipping my hair. I quirked a smile and looked at him up through my eyelashes. He smirked back, and I got that intuitive feeling again... that feeling that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. But maybe I was wrong, or I was being too hopeful. There was undeniable tenderness in his blue eyes, though, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was holding back. But If he knew how I felt, why would he hold back? There wouldn't be any guesswork on his end, and we'd be together.

And then again, I was probably reading all the signals wrong.

I cleared my throat ineptly, breaking eye contact. "So... what about the others? How do you figure we'll get on?"

"Well," Teddy said, turning towards me to make ease for the conversation, "I know exactly how Guare will react to you."

"Oh yes?"

"Yes, he'll be absolutely enraptured by you and flirt shamelessly," he said, looking not particularly happy by the thought. I held back a smile.

"Well then, if that's so, I feel like we'll get along quite well," I admitted. I knew, as did most people, that I happened to be a brazen flirt. Especially when it came to boys I like, if you haven't figured that out yet. I couldn't help it... it was just in my nature. And it also happened to be why most girls didn't like me, and most boys got the wrong impression. I didn't mean to be cruel- I just came on a little to strong at times.

"But wait: I thought he has a girlfriend? Sonia?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

Teddy shook his head, rolling his eyes, "It doesn't stop him. He's still hopelessly in love with Sonia, though. I've no idea why..." He scrunched up his nose, giving the impression that he wasn't fond of his mate's significant other. I giggled at his comical expression of distaste.

"And the others?" I pressed, scooting a bit closer. Our knees brushed each other, a small thrill I reveled in. He didn't pull away, and nor did I. Obviously.

"Advent will adore you, I'm sure. As for this Arkaria character and Quill, I don't know- I don't know them, myself," he said with a shrug.

A rather mischievous idea came to mind, and I peered at him closely as I asked with a suggestive smile, "Is Advent single?"

Teddy frowned, a line of confusion appearing between his brows. "Yeah, I think so. Why?"

I shrugged mysteriously, examining my already perfectly manicured nails as if I gave a damn of their condition.

"No really. Why?" he asked again, his voice a bit louder.

I bit my lip to hold back a smile and placed a hand on his knee, scooting a bit closer. "You don't need to worry about it, Teddy." I smiled sweetly then settled back into my seat, closing my eyes to rest. I smiled wider when I heard Teddy's frustrated sigh. Maybe it was too much to be hopeful that he was jealous, but hey, a girl can dream.

"Wingardium Leviosa," I whispered, aiming my wand at my heavy luggage and watching it with a satisfied smile as it rose into the air.

"Thank Merlin for magic, because I think you packed your whole house in there," Teddy announced, grinning at me as he levitated his own suitcases.

"Hey! I only brought _half_ the house," I joked, skipping off down the pathway towards the small, yellow house that belonged to Beck Applewood where we would all be meeting before eating dinner and boarding our plane en route to New York City, New York.

We arrived at the door, and I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. Not really. I actually rarely give a shit what people think of me. Usually people don't like me, so it really does work out in my favor. However, for this trip, I was hoping that I could get along with the majority. I wanted some girl friends so we could go shopping while the boys went and did whatever stupid boys did.

I had a feeling there would be some animosity.

Something that seemed to be a recurring thing with me was that girls I met didn't like me. Even girls I didn't know. Maybe it was because I was a huge flirt, or maybe it was because they were jealous of me. I mean, I don't want to sound conceited, but I'm fucking gorgeous.

Before I could reach the door to knock, it flew open and a wide smile greeted me. There stood a Hispanic boy, with ruffled, dark brown hair, a devil-may-care persona, and caramel-colored skin.

"You must be Victoire," he said in a ways of greeting. "I knew you were Veela, but can I just say, _damn!" _He checked me out openly and shamelessly, and I had a feeling, according to Teddy's descriptions, that I could easily figure out who this was.

"And you must be Guare," I responded.

"You been askin' 'bout me, baby?" Guare inquired coquettishly, lifting an eyebrow.

That was when Teddy arrived at my side, scowling at Guare and narrowing his eyes at him. "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Sorry, bro! Didn't know she was yours," Guare said defensively with a devilish smile. Teddy's ears turned bright pink.

"Shut up," he snapped, then marched past us and into the yellow house.

"Who crapped in his cereal this morning?" I mumbled, ignoring Guare's cackle that followed.

"Obviously not you," Guare said back, "otherwise I think he would've eaten it."

I scrunched up my nose and followed him inside, not even pulling away when he wrapped an arm around my waist.

We reached a large living room, where the journey for all of us would begin. That summer, Teddy would have his heart broken, at least four different guys would kiss me and more, I would meet my future best friend, and I would be the maid of honor at a wedding.

But of course, I didn't know it yet.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks so much for all of the response that I got on the first chapter; I really appreciate it so much! I've been trying to reply to reviews but my computer is dumb, so here's my overall response: THANK YOU, LESS THAN THREE LET'S BE FRIENDS COOL OK BYE. (Don't judge me- ok fine you can judge me, it's a human bodily response that sometimes you can't just help, WWJD, idk) More reviews, maybe possibly? Yeah? Please? You wanna, right? Ok, cool, if you insist! I'll try to respond... ya know... if I can figure out the internet.

Your BFFLATA (best friend for life & the afterlife),

Elizabeth


	3. Flirtationship

The first time that I suspected of Teddy liking me was pretty much the first time I saw him at the beginning of the summer before seventh year. His eyes met mine, and there was an automatic connection. Whether it was love or lust or even interest, I'm still not sure. I would bet on love, but that would be cheesy. I could bet on lust, taking into account the fact that his eyes were all over me like stupid on my mother. But in all reality (which I hardly consider) it was most likely interest.

We hadn't seen in each other in quite a while. Two years, to be exact. We had gone to Hogwarts together since... well. Since I started my first year, obviously. He graduated when I was fifteen, when I was still flat-chested and gangly, when I smelled like body odor and desperation and was too busy trying to get everyone to like me instead of relaxing and being myself. Oh yeah, and focusing on O.W.L.s. Trust me, ignoring the alarm that I had set to start studying each day was a huge mistake- especially when I received the screecher from mum. And you think that's bad?

She screamed in French.

That's right. She called me all types of classy names, and I think that everyone, if they didn't know before, now understand what 電errieremeans.

Mum's accent gets so thick when she's angry that even I could barely comprehend what she was saying- and that's me learning French as a first language. Nowadays I didn't really have anyone to talk to in French except Mum, Dom, and sometimes Louis, when he was comprehensible. His first language right now is gibberish.

Anyways, my chest was flat, I didn't know a thestral from a poodle (which is just plain sad, since my mother can even tell that difference), I talked much too quickly and loudly, and my hair was a frizzy strawberry blonde then. In some places, it was even brown. And in case you didn't know, besides some exceptions, having children with brown hair in the Weasley family is like peeing on a church. It's just wrong, and quite disrespectful.

It's not that the Weasley family would shun me or anything- it was more of a silent agreement that you have a ginger child. As I said, there were exceptions to this rule. I mean, Harry Potter having some ebony-haired littles- quite fine. He did defeat Voldemort, and all.

But after two years of growing, I had grown taller, fuller, and my hair had bleached from the sun to a silvery blonde just like my mother's. Lovely. Boys had definitely started noticing me then. I mean, even more than before.

I can't help it that I'm hella sexy, okay? It comes with the Veela blood territory.

With my new and improved self, I felt quite confident, beautiful, and ready to have an amazing summer. Teddy seemed prepared for much the same. His eye-undressing lasted only a few moments, and then, as if to further my previous suspicion of his interest, despite two years of separation, he pulled me into a tight embrace, as if we had been best mates all along.

天ic!he had said, chuckling for no other reason except that we were giddy and happy, smiling wide at each other like a couple of goofs. 鏑ook at you!"

鏑ook at me!I agreed. At this, I turned bright red and he laughed and shook his head in obvious amusement.

的 will... a lot,he replied, his voice low and a cunning smirk on his face.

I guess that was when it hit me- that I could potentially really like this guy. He seemed to be a full-out flirt like me, which just worked fine and dandy for me.

All during that summer, he was super touchy with me- using any excuse to get close. Several times, I could've sworn we were going to kiss. But alas, we never did. We were always interrupted. I knew then, however, that it was only a matter of time before one of us snapped and started ripping off each other's clothes... maybe it was just my hormones talking... actually, it was definitely my hormones talking.

I thought we had an expiration date on our simple friendship, and that our flirtationship would blossom into something much more. But nothing ever did. So when I was leaving for Hogwarts in my seventh year, all the way to Platform 9 ｾ, I was having an inner-freak out. All kinds of scenarios ran through my head...

What if Teddy met someone new over the year? What if he decided to move on from me? What if, over the year, he forgets to owl me and forgets about me wholly? What if... what if he thinks I don't like him?

Because I have the heart of a fiery redhead no matter how light my hair was, I found the thought of Teddy never knowing how I felt much more terrifying than him not liking me back. I was more scared of never putting myself out there, rather than scared of rejection. In the moments before I lunged forward and caught Teddy's lips with mine, I hadn't even thought about him rejecting me...

All I could think was: I want him so, so bad... and he needs to know.

Even those slight two or so seconds that our lips touched, it was still better than sealing my heart away. It was better than no kiss at all.

I was stunned when he pushed me away. Call me conceited, but I honestly didn't expect him to do anything other than kiss me back passionately. And that's why, on that day on the Hogwarts express, I took a compartment all for myself and had a good cry all alone, locking the door after me. Then, just for kicks (because I was angry and in need of distraction) I grabbed a Slytherin boy from my year who had messy, brown hair, a fit body, and the bluest eyes you'd ever see, and snogged him for the rest of the train ride.

Let me tell you, his girlfriend was not happy about that at all.

In my defense, I did not know that he had a girlfriend. I was slightly concerned, however, when school started and I caught several glimpses of him holding hands with a petite Hufflepuff girl. Figures. Hufflepuffs are easy- everyone knows that.

And also in my defense, I later found out that she had been cheating on him, too. But no, I was the one who got slapped in front of half the school and called a slag and got porridge dumped on. I can't help it that drama follows me wherever I go, okay?

Teddy didn't contact me all that first semester, anyways. When I went home for Christmas, Teddy was there, too, and we steadily avoided each other. But when I got back to my room, I found a crumpled note on my bed with messy handwriting on it with one simple word scrawled on it: _Sorry. _I automatically knew it was from him.

The next day, our eyes met over breakfast, and I gave him a slight nod of my head. I looked away before I could see his reaction, but I heard a sigh of relief. That was the most interaction we had since Platform 9 ｾ nearly four months before, but I would take it.

Two weeks later, I was back at Hogwarts, and Teddy and I were back to not communicating.

I didn't regret telling him how I felt, however unconventional my methods were. But I did regret putting a dent in our friendship. I kept thinking about all of the possibilities- like if I had let him make the first move instead, as boys usually do. Or if I waited until Christmas so that our relationship could grow even more. Or if I could have talked to him privately instead.

And yet, I still came to the same conclusion: that no matter what I had done, he would've rejected me again and again, and it would hurt perhaps even more.

I was faced with a horrifying truth- that I fancied possibly the only male between 15 and 30 who wouldn't go for me. Usually boys that I liked would reciprocate those feelings, but I would quickly get bored of them and move on. With Teddy... I just couldn't see myself getting tired of him. He was so funny and spontaneous, yet smart and sweet. He made me feel sexy and *gasp*, even smart! He laughed at all my jokes and listened to every little insignificant thing I had to say, and he would capture me with those eyes that said that he cared about me, and that he wanted me.

But I guess I was wrong.

For me, it had been so obvious that he liked me. But as I kept looking back, I was losing faith in this possibility. Perhaps he never liked me. Perhaps that wasn't how he acts when he likes someone, just the way that I thought he did.

On to the story.

The point of this rambling is the fact that, even though I had misinterpreted Teddy's actions towards me, I soon realized what he actually acted like around a girl he liked.

I found out how the moment that we met Arkaria.

She had breezed into the room, a girl I had never met or seen or even heard much of. Only a name to go on and the fact that she was Teddy's friend's girlfriend's best friend. This made her almost insignificant to me. Therefore, not much thought was put into her at all. Instead of having a mini-freak out over Teddy perhaps liking Reedy, his best friend Beck's little sister, I should've been investing my time in fretting over Arkaria.

But how could I have ever known that she would be beautiful, absolutely breathtaking? Whereas I was a girl many boys would label as 塗ot,with a definite 都ex appeal,Arkaria was... a goddess. She was unique-looking, and once you looked at her, you couldn't stop. She was beautiful, in the oddest way- her features, on their own, weren't exactly beautiful, but together, they were so striking that you couldn't help but stare wide-eyed.

The first thing I noticed about her was her blacker-than-black hair. If I had thought Uncle Harry's hair was black, this girl's hair was _jet black. _It was short, cut into a choppy, edgy pixie-cut. She had, much like Teddy, an eyebrow ring. But instead of an additional lip ring like Teddy, she had a cute little sparkly nose stud. Her ears were layered with earrings all up and down the lobe, and chunky bracelets and necklaces decorated her body.

Even though I wasn't standing close to her, I could tell that her eyes were a bright, unearthly purple color. They almost seemed to glow. Her skin was porcelain, with a light rosy blush in her cheeks. Her nose was ski-slope, her eyebrows sharp and dramatic, her lips plump and blood-red, like she'd been eating cherries all day. She had a tall, skinny figure. She was definitely skinnier than me- I was more on the curvy side, which I preferred. But she worked the modelesque body she was given.

I stood in silence, feeling a horrible sinking feeling at the look in Teddy's eyes as he stared deeply at this girl, and much like I was intruding on an intimate moment.

I felt panic rising within me. I couldn't move on from Teddy so easily, I knew. I knew my own heart better than anyone, and I knew that I had it bad for Teddy and I wasn't easily letting go. I wasn't going down without a fight.

鄭hem,I cleared my throat loudly, and Teddy jumped beside me. I wrapped an arm around Teddy's waist, not caring if I looked clingy and possessive. 的'm Victoire Weasley! And you are?The last part was a slight bit sassy, but Teddy didn't seem to notice. Yep. He was too focused on her body. I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into the soft fabric of his T-shirt.

徹h-! I'm Arkaria Underwood. Weasley? That sounds familiar-"

典hat's because my Aunt and Uncle are Hermione and Ron Weasley!I interrupted, my voice slightly braggy and a smirk curving my lips. 溺y parents are Bill and Fleur Weasley.

徹h yes!Arkaria said, recognition forming on her face. 展asn't your mum the one who lost the tri-wizard tournament? What a tutted with fake sympathy, a gleam behind those eerily violet eyes.

_Oh, bitch, it's on. _

展hat a sweetie!I exclaimed much too enthusiastically, smiling brightly at Teddy. Teddy, still wasn't noticing. His eyes were glazed over, staring at Arkaria with a dreamy expression. I bit my cheek to hold back the scream I wanted to release as they made googly eyes at each other.

Thankfully, the distraction of more people entering the room broke the eye-sex occuring between that other girl and Teddy.

徹h my gosh, Teddy!a girl squealed, throwing herself at him. He finally broke eye-contact and turned to the blonde flying towards him, catching her in his arms and laughing as she shrieked in delight. He set her back down and she smiled up at him with giddy excitement.

的've missed you, missed you, missed you!she cried, bouncing up and down on the spot. I narrowed my eyes and scanned over her, scrutinizing the unfamiliar girl who I assumed would be Reeni.

She was tall and had an athletic, almost boyish build, with wide shoulders, muscular legs, and a lack of curves. For some reason, this gave me a feeling of satisfaction. But if that was any consolation, upon further inspection, I realized I shouldn't be content so soon- she had beautiful, shiny reddish-blonde hair, a beautiful smile that made her green eyes light up, and sun-kissed skin that seemed to glow.

Oh shit. I'm surrounded by beautiful girls who are stealing the love of my life away. You _know _what's about to hit the fan...

I fake-laughed loudly at the display and interrupted, 添ou must be Reeni! I'm Victoire!I stepped forward and inbetween them, bumping Teddy back a step. Yes, I know, I'm obnoxious. But whatever it takes to get Teddy away from these clingy bitches...

徹h, Victoire!she cried fondly, pulling me into a tight hug. My eyes practically bugged out in surprise, and I tentatively hugged her back, uncomfortably patting her back. She pulled away, her arms clutching my shoulders. She looked me up and down with bright, emerald eyes and exclaimed, 添ou're even more beautiful than Teddy said!

I felt a great sense of pride and turned to beam at Teddy, and was extremely excited to see that he was beaming back and no longer ogling that slag.

典eddy has told me _so _much about you... I mean, he would _not _shut up about-Reeni divulged but was cut off as Teddy exclaimed with a red tinge in his cheeks, 典hat's enough, Reeni!

I giggled and winked at Teddy, and he shook his head at me with an amused, slightly bashful smile. Yes, he loves me. He just doesn't know it yet.

But I'll show him.

I felt once again that impending feeling of _rightness, _that Teddy did feel for me what I felt for him. I gazed at him as he gazed back at me, and I just _knew. _

Then, Arkaria's delicate hands lightly touched his shoulders, and he whirled around to face her.

And suddenly, as she began to talk and giggle with him, it was like I was invisible again.

I glared at Arkaria with one thought apparent in my mind: _This is not over. _


	4. Distract and Conquer

展ho's that?I whispered to Teddy, leaning into him.

He responded absentmindedly, his eyes fixed on the telly, 釘arney.

I clenched my teeth as he seemed way more interested in the show than me. And that just wouldn't do.

鄭nd who is he?I asked, a bit louder.

鉄hhh!someone hissed, but I just scoffed and rolled my eyes in response.

典hat's the main character, Ted,he replied.

鏑ike you,I said jokingly, bumping my shoulder with his. He finally looked at me, an amused smile on his lips.

摘xcept I'm much more good looking,he joked.

I whispered conspiratorially, 釘ut you're a cheat- a metamorphagus...!

鉄hhh...he shushed into my ear, making me shiver in delight. We settled back into silence.

展ho's that?I asked quietly to Teddy, a pretty brunette appearing beside 'Ted.'

典hat's Robin, one of Ted's best friends, and he dates her for a while,he turned to face me this time as he explained.

I smiled flirtatiously and said so only he could hear, 鉄o, like me?

He shook his head, rolling his eyes with a smirk, 摘xcept we've never dated, Victoire.

鄭nd whose fault is that?I said lightly, even though I could feel my chest contract in pain.

Teddy let out a sigh and turned back to the TV. 典hey eventually break up, and it almost ruins their friendship. And then she dates another one of his friends.

填gh, really? What a slag! I would never do that...!I shook my head vehemently. 釘ut I'm sure they were a _perfect_ couple...

Teddy didn't respond verbally, but instead wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards him. I laid my head on his shoulder and sat in silence for the rest of the American muggle show _How I Met Your Mother. _

I hadn't yet met the rest of the crew since they hadn't arrived yet, so I had yet to meet Guare's girlfriend Sonia, one of the group's friends Advent, and Advent's cousin, Quill. I'd already met Beck, but he hadn't yet arrived.

The day was coming to an end and they still hadn't arrived, so I knew we wouldn't be leaving quite yet. It made me antsy, but I tried not to complain. Too much.

I managed to keep Teddy by my side for most of the night, warding off Arkaria in sneaky ways whenever I could. Teddy was clueless.

Finally, it was time to hit they hay, I knew, when Guare got up and stretched, yawning.

展ell, I'm feeling right knackered. I'm going to bed.A sly smile grew on Guare's lips as he looked at me and asked, 展anna join?"

敵irlfriend,I reminded.

泥amn,he muttered and turned to trudge up the stairs.

I looked over to grab onto Teddy before Arkaria could sink her claws into him, but was immensely relieved to find he was glaring after Guare.

I crawled over to him across the carpet to where he had congregated with the girls, leaning against the couch. Arkaria and Reeni chattered away, while Arkaria 電iscreetlyscooted closer to Teddy every few seconds.

Teddy was still glaring after Guare when I reached him, leaning forward to whisper in his ear, 笛ealous?I leaned back (not too far, I wanted him lost in my eyes) to smile teasingly at him.

鄭nnoyed,he corrected, although his ears turned a light shade of pink.

展ow, you _almost _hid that blush!I chirped, sliding my arms around his shoulders.

鉄hut up!he cried, reaching out to tickle my arms. I burst out into giggles and fell backwards over-dramatically, and Teddy followed, attacking me again with his fluttering fingers.

滴ow _desperate,_Arkaria whispered 'quietly' to Reeni. However, of course, Teddy didn't hear. How convenient. This girl was a freaking magician!

Well... I mean... you know. You know what I mean. (Just go with it).

典eddy, stop!I yelled, which of course translates to, 泥on't stop touching me inappropriately!He got the message. See how in sync we are? We're meant to be. I mean, if you squint a bit and look to the right. We're meant to be.

鉄ay Uncle!

哲ever!

展ill she _ever _stop? How pathetic...Arkaria muttered, again, 'quietly.' And again, Teddy didn't hear. There is dark magic in the workings, here!

The tickle-attack stopped upon the slamming of the front door. He rolled off of me and I sat up and turned to see the two people entering the room. I recognized one of them: Beck. By his side stood a ridiculously tall male, with shaggy, almost shoulder-length sandy brown hair. He had light stubble across a majority of his face, and was rather lanky with pale skin and startlingly dark eyes.

釘eck!Teddy cried happily, my presence then ignored as he struggled to get up to embrace his best friend. Beck was almost exactly as I remembered, his once dull, dishwater-blonde hair now streaked with natural highlights, probably from the sun. Which is a wonder, considering the weather most of the time isn't exactly the Bahamas. But he still had that attractive strong-build and an aura of confidence and approachability. Not particularly handsome like Guare or Teddy, he still seemed pretty sexy... you know, confidence can do that.

鄭dvent!Reeni exclaimed, shooting up from her seat and flying across the room to the tall, lanky bloke. She stopped about a foot away from him and then backtracked a bit, her face flushing and her hands shaking visibly at her sides.

滴ey,Advent replied, smiling lazily, and I knew without knowing him that he was ignoring her gitters for her sake. How nice. I got up and strode over to Reeni's side, feeling the need to save her. She looked like she was sinking in her own nerves.

滴i, I'm Victoire Weasley,I introduced myself, holding out a hand to shake.

He hardly smiled or even acknowledged me, the only notice he gave was a slight, slothful nod and a cool, 鄭dvent.

I nodded slowly, perturbed by his unenthusiastic reply. I looked over at Reeni, but couldn't get a response from her as she just stared at her feet intently. I took that as my cue to skedaddle.

I crossed over to greet Beck. As I approached, I was surprised when upon seeing me, Teddy's best friend pulled me into a tight, friendly hug. I hugged him back in slight pleasant shock. He pulled away and then said, 天ictoire! Wow, it's been a while. You've sure grown a lot. Last time I saw you, you were... um...He made a weird face and then shook a flat hand by his torso, indicating my short height. Even though I was hardly much taller. But I knew what he meant- I had been awkward, fake, and scrawny. Now I... well... wasn't. Okay, I had tendencies to be fake, but that's not the point.

添eah, it's good to see you!And indeed it was.

We had just officially organized sleeping arrangements when the final shipment rolled in and screwed everything up. Everyone groaned in frustration as who I guessed to be Quill and Sonia strolled in, as it had already taken long enough to figure out who would sleep where.

展hat? What did I do?Sonia snapped, her eyes automatically landing on Guare. 展hat did you say about me, you little-?

哲othing!Guare exclaimed defensively, laughing a nervous laugh as his hands went up in the air. I held back a smile as I looked over his girlfriend. She was absolutely beautiful, with bronze skin that seemed to glow and long, impeccably curled ebony hair. She looked like a Victoria's Secret model, but she was acting like a complete diva. A shiny, ostentatious purse was slung over her shoulder, and her expensive-looking 田asualviolet sweat suit didn't help the matter.

She smiled widely, showing off a row of perfect pearly whites that were a bit _too _perfect (was she a metamorphagus, too?) and sprung across the room to kiss Guare most passionately. In fact, so passionately I felt as if I was sitting in a rated-R movie. Maybe possibly the beginnings of an adult film. I gagged and looked away, my eyes accidentally meeting Teddy's. We both blushed and looked away awkwardly.

滴ey everyone, I'm Quill, Headboy of Hogwarts for the decade!the freckly boy once beside Sonia proclaimed, half-joking and half-haughty. His eyes landed on Advent and he greeted coolly, 鄭dvent, my man!They then did one of their bro-hugs that James had taught me in my sixth year, and then he went around the room, meeting everyone individually in turn. But when he stepped up to me, it seemed that his whole demeanor shifted.

鄭nd... you are?he said with a devil-may-care smile. It almost made me laugh, but the romantic in me swooned. Yes, I admit, I borderline-swooned.

Up close, I could see his dark green eyes, absolutely hypnotic and slanted almost Asian-like. His hair was almost blacker than Sonia's (if that's even possible) and his face was covered with freckles- probably his most defining feature. He was built much like Guare: a tad on the short side, but strong and almost stocky. He was attractive, maybe not as much as Teddy, but still... there was something there.

的'm Victoire Weasley,I replied, smiling hesitantly. From what I learned in school, boys like this could only mean trouble. My danger-alert went off, and I knew not to lead him on. If that even helped- boys liked the easy ones, but still, some liked a challenge. You never knew until you were obliviating your home address in the dark confines of a utilities closet. Sorry, I had some minor boy trouble fifth year...

Quill seemed like he wanted to continue with the wooing, but fortunately was cut off as Reeni took over again to settle The Great Sleeping Arrangement Debate of 2017. Woo, I hope I win.

Finally, after much arguing and slapping, it was decided that all of the boys would sleep throughout the living room and all of the girls would split up custody of the bedrooms. But then Sonia started whining that she had to sleep with Guare, which Beck and Teddy snickered at, because she was scared sleeping alone and needed her lover to protect her (and at this point Guare was blushing profusely in obvious embarrassment).

So then everything was switched around again. Sonia and Guare would be sharing the bed in the guest bedroom, and no one else would be in that room since it was a unanimous decision that no one wanted to be even near them. In a bed. Together. Quill and Advent, since they were family, found it appropriate to share the master bedroom. But then Quill got all high-and-mighty-like and decided he would get the bed and Advent would sleep on the floor. Advent took this news humbly and quietly. That left Teddy, Arkaria, me, and Reeni. I suggested suggestively (teehee) that I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with Teddy, since we were best friends, anyway. Teddy laughed at this but agreed, with an amused, smug expression. That left Arkaria to the couch, and Reeni to the sleeping bag on the floor.

As I passed Arkaria, I gave her a prissy smile. She just fake-smiled back, her eyes shining with annoyance. Haha, guess who won this round?

Teddy and I faced each other across the bed in the dim light of the lamp, awkward and quiet and unsure of what to do next. We were already dressed down in pj's, brushed our teeth and other pre-sleep things one has to do.

鉄o...?I whispered. I grinned slightly, and he grinned back.

鏑adies first?he suggested. I shrugged and slid in underneath the covers.


	5. A Deal Is Made

I woke up to an empty bed. Well, you know, besides me.

Which sucks.

You know, when falling asleep in bed with the love of your life, you expect to wake up cuddled up next to him, or for him to be staring lovingly at you while you sleep. And then you ask, "What are you doing?" And he says, "I was watching you. You're so cute when you sleep."

Why can't my life be a cliché love story? Is that too much to ask?!

I rolled out of bed and slid into my fuzzy, purple slippers and shuffled over to the mirror above the vanity against the opposite wall. I stared back at myself, inspecting every possible flaw in my appearance. I guess being good-looking is the only thing I have going for me; might as well preserve it.

I wiped away the tiny flakes and smears of mascara and eyeliner from beneath my eyes and ran my fingers quickly and roughly through my tangled hair. Good enough, I suppose, I decided after staring at myself for a good half-minute.

I went downstairs to hear the clattering of silverware against porcelain and light chattering in the dining room below. I then dashed down the stairs, eager as to what was for breakfast.

I'm one of those girls that other girls hate, because I can eat as much as I want and not gain a pound. This also means that I'm hungry a lot, but especially in the mornings. And from where I was, and as I got closer, I could smell eggs and pancakes and syrup and coffee and tea and warm rolls with butter and...

I reached the bottom landing and skidded to a stop when I rounded the corner to see every chair at the table filled. No one even glanced over at me, as everyone seemed busy talking or laughing or eating.

I pulled up a chair from the corner of the room and slid it in the biggest gap, between Quill and Beck.

"Good morning, beautiful," Quill said smoothly, looking me up and down. I rolled my eyes and scooted forward.

"Hey, Vic! Finally decided to join the land of the living?" Teddy called to me, gaining everyone's attention. They all focused on me, and I'm not gonna lie, I usually like- no, crave- the attention, but instead I felt my cheeks flood with warmth. These people were all at least a year older than me, which can be a bit intimidating. And especially Sonia- she seemed to be judging me with every glance, and it was a tad unsettling.

"Well it's not like you woke me up," I countered.

"I couldn't," he said, smiling coyly, reminding me of his grins when he was little, "you just looked so cute asleep."

Okay, but why couldn't he say that with a straight face?

"Mhmm." I gave him a skeptical look, but he just grinned back and turned to face Arkaria, who sat rather close next to him. Then again, it was like I didn't exist as the table went back to their chatter. Needless to say, I felt utterly left out.

I reached out to the nearest pan of rolls, but there was only one left.

"Where's all the food?" I asked Beck. He turned from his conversation with his sister Reeni and shrugged. Then he turned back away.

I repeated the question to Quill, and he just replied, "Guess we ate it all. Early bird really does get the worm, eh?" He snickered and I took that as my cue to scrunch up by nose and ignore him.

I sighed and looked back to reach for the last roll, but then Teddy snatched it up and took a big bite out of it, ripping off a half to offer to Arkaria. I watched as he fed her the piece, and she snatched it up in her mouth. He watched her chew it slowly, their faces close, and then they both laughed, her arm slinging around his neck. He seemed absolutely mesmerized, looking down at her lips as she licked the breadcrumbs from them.

I turned away as my stomach roiled uncomfortably in protest.

"We're leaving today, okay? We have to. The private jet is—"

"Private jet?!" Quill exclaimed, cutting off Beck's announcement. Beck ignored him and continued, "- the private jet is only available for today, or else we're out of luck.

"We all need to get packed and hit the road. I already called a cab to get us in two hours, so now that we've eaten, let's get cleaned up and get going!"

Everyone at the table whooped except me. My stomach growled.

I helped Reeni clear the table, Arkaria and Teddy already heading off together upstairs along with Guare and Sonia. It hadn't gone unnoticed that Sonia was only wearing her silky, skimpy pajamas at the table and her boyfriend was looking respectively pleased with himself. The cousin's Quill and Advent lingered at the table, Quill loooking bored and Advent saying, "Thanks for making us breakfast, Reeni." He smiled crookedly, and she turned a bright red and stuttered out a thank you.

He walked off with Quill, who winked at me before departing.

"So, is Advent your boyfriend or something?" I asked casually, knowing that he wasn't and ready to do some match-making.

Reeni took the stack of plates from my arms and carried them over to the sink. I followed behind her, putting the stopper on the drain and turning on the water to warm up. She set the plates down on the opposite side of the sink, then bent down to look in the cabinets below.

"No, and I've no idea why you'd think that," she said, sounding a bit a canned if you ask me.

"Mhmm," I hummed skeptically. "So that blushing and stammering thing you do whenever he's around... that's just your way of communication? Is that a secret language or something?"

She sighed into the cabinet, then reemerged with a pair of yellow rubber gloves and orange dish soap. Her face was still red. Still. "I don't do that," she muttered. Then her eyes slid closed and she shook her head, whispering, "Please don't tell anyone..."

I smiled happily and took the soap from her while she wrestled on the rubber gloves. I pumped the nozzle into the water and it immediately filled with bubbles, popping and floating into the air to wink at us. I smiled and set the soap aside. We switched spots and I handed her a plate, and she started scrubbing.

"I promise I won't. Who would I tell?"

"Teddy. I'm sure you'd tell him _anything,_" she said knowingly. "But don't worry. If you don't tell, I won't tell."

"There's nothing to tell," I said bitterly, trading her a dirty plate for the one she'd washed to dry myself. I picked up a rag and began wiping it over the dripping plate.

"What? But you like him! I'm not blind, Victoire," she intoned.

"Yeah, of course I like him. But he already knows, so like I said, there's nothing to tell!" I snapped. I set the plate down on the counter a bit too hard, making a loud clattering.

"Whoa, gentle now," Reeni said calmly, now a light flush in her cheeks. "So, you're telling me that he knows you like him and you _aren't together?" _

"If you don't shut up soon, you're going to run out of feet to put in your mouth," I said snarlingly.

"Fiesty!" Reeni giggled. "All I'm saying is... well, if _you_ can't be with the guy you want, then there sure isn't hope for the rest of us."

"I don't know," I said, taking a wet plate from her and handing her another dirty one, "Teddy and Arkaria seemed pretty snug back there. Maybe I'm just not good enough."

"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed. "Arkaria's got her charms; Teddy's just new to them."

"Doesn't change the fact that he's falling all over her."

"I don't even know Arkaria that well and I already know I'm not going to like her," Reeni said. "If it makes you feel any better, I like you."

I said thanks and held back what I really wanted to say. That it didn't really matter to me whether she liked me over Arkaria as long as Teddy liked Arkaria over me.

After a moment of silence I asked out of pure curiosity, "How come you don't want anyone to know that you like Advent? He seems like I nice guy," I lied. He didn't seem like a nice guy. He'd barely talked to me. What guy doesn't talk to me?

"Are you serious?! No one can know! I mean, look at me! I'm scrawny, I've got no tits, I'm about three years younger than him, and he's... well, you know... all cool and aloof! I can't just... I couldn't just...!" Reeni was practically screeching now, her hands scrubbing frantically across the clean plate she held. I wrestled the plate from her hands and forced her to look me in the eyes.

"What's it to you?" I soothed as best as I could. "How do you know you couldn't if you haven't even tried? Tell him you like him... maybe he'll see what's in front of him! Guys can't read minds. You have to tell him if you like him. What's the worst that could happen? He rejects you and you move on."

"Oh yeah, like how _you _moved on?" she retorted. I felt my cheeks flaming and I turned away to dry the plate I held.

"Now that's different... because Teddy and I are meant to be," I said stubbornly.

She laughed and started on the next place. "You know what, Victoire? I like you." She nudged my shoulder with hers and I couldn't help but crack a smile. "I think we're going to be great friends."

"I think we should make a pact then, mate," I said, an idea blossoming in my mind.

"Oh, yeah? And what's it?" she asked. We traded plates again, for the last time, and I got on to drying the one in my hands.

"Over the course of this summer, I'll help you get with Advent, and you'll help me get with Teddy. Deal?"

She handed me the final plate, which I dried quickly and set aside to face her. She seemed to be thinking it over as she pulled the stopper out of the sink and pulled off the rubber gloves. But I already knew what her answer would be.

"Deal." And we shook on it.

***

Beck made us give our wands to him. He would confiscate them for the rest of the summer while we experienced the "muggle way of life." Sounded pretty sucky to me. How was I going to do my make-up in the morning?! _Manually?_Please.

The "muggle way of life" was now starting with a plane ride across the Atlantic to a little town called New York City. I'm not gonna lie, I was excited about this part- can you say shopping? So what, I'm a girly girl, I can't help it. It's who I am. EXCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM.

It took a while and seemed a bit of a hassle to pass airport security, and while I was complaining, Beck-with-the-muggle-family informed me that "This is nothing!"

Now we were boarding the little private jet out on the runway, because apparently Sonia's family is really filthy rich and owns one. I don't know why they'd need one when they could just transport themselves places through magic. But hey, what do I know.

I had my own little carry-on bag slung over my shoulder, containing not my wand, a sweater, not my wand, three magazines, not my wand, a pillow, not my wand, and a bag of candy (not my wand). This summer was looking to be bleak. Well, at least the seven-hour flight from London to New York would be.

Right once we entered the jet, Arkaria and Teddy claimed two seats, secluded and very next to one another- more next to each other than the other paired seats seemed to be. I frowned at them, but suddenly Reeni brushed past me a bit roughly, rushing down the aisle towards them. I approached and heard what she was saying, talking excitedly to them.

"Hey Teddy, would you mind if I took that seat? I was _really _looking forward to sitting with Arkaria, because we've barely talked and I wanted to sit with her so badly!" Reeni then turned to Arkaria and said with wide eyes, "You wouldn't mind, would you?" I guess our deal was already being set into action. I held back a grin as Arkaria began to glare, her mouth open as if she was deeply offended.

"Well, actually-" Arkaria began, her tone suggesting nothing but trouble, but Teddy interrupted as he spotted me behind Reeni in the aisle.

"Yeah, no problem, I'll just sit with Vic here," he said, getting up from his seat and offering it to Reeni. I beamed and followed him to the two seats at the front, across from two seats that Beck filled, his top half in one and his bottom half in the other.

"Hey, you two!" he said cheerily. Beck then focused his attention on me and said, "Sorry about this morning; I should've saved you some food. So I've got you something!" He reached into his bag and pulled out a box which he handed to me.

My eyes went all big and I snatched it from him. I tore off the lid and was faced with the most beautiful box of pastries that I'd ever seen in my life.

"Oh, Beck!" I cried. "They're beautiful!" Teddy and Beck laughed, and I flew forward to catch him in a hug. Beck pulled me close and hugged me back fiercely. I kissed him on the cheek and flopped back down on my seat to dig in.

"Mm, kisses from Victoire..." Beck hummed. "I should get you pastries every day." His warm brown eyes focused on me, and I felt my body go all warm and tingly.

"Shut up, man, that's my Vic you're talkin' 'bout!" Teddy cried. We ignored him and I replied, "I wouldn't mind pastries every day. Hmm, I wonder what I'd do for a cake?"

"We'll just have to see," Beck said excitedly, a coy smile on his face. I giggled and Teddy just scowled at us.

We all chatted and I shared my box of goodies with them. Thirty minutes into the flight, Reeni joined us, shoving her brother's feet off of one of the seats and occupying it with a frown on her face.

"That girl is a piece of work- I _had_ to get away," Reeni huffed. I turned in my seat to see Arkaria sitting in the back, alone, red-faced and seemingly grumbling to herself. Beck laughed along with me, but I looked over at Teddy when he was quiet. He was looking back at her, too, but he wasn't laughing. He didn't even crack a smile.

Teddy whipped back around and said accusingly to Reeni, "What'd you do to her?!"

"What? Me?!" Reeni scoffed in disbelief and spat out, "She's crazy!"

"Well, now she's sitting there all alone..." Teddy looked back at her. "I should go; she shouldn't be sitting alone."

"No!" Reeni and I cried at the same time. Teddy looked startled as he looked back and forth between us.

"Doesn't matter, it's too late," Beck said, reclining in his seat with half of a scone in his hand. "Sonia's gone and made her company, so no need."

Teddy deflated, looking a bit disappointed. I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned in annoyance.

"Don't look too down, Teddy. We do have the rest of the summer ahead of us," I said. He didn't seem to sense the sarcasm in my voice and brightened up a bit. Well now I'm just encouraging him. How on earth was I going to help Reeni get Advent? All I ever had to do to get a guy was flip my hair and pay him the least bit of attention. Reeni did that and it didn't seem to work. She was right, she did have small tits; maybe that was why. But other than that, I didn't know how to get a guy... it's not like anything I was doing now worked with Teddy. Sure, he'd flirt back, but other than that... nothing.

I leaned back and listened with slight amusement as Reeni and Beck bickered, fighting over a biscuit.

It was darkening outside, and I felt my eyelids lowering. As they did, I felt a hand close around my mine. My eyes flew open and I looked down to see Teddy's fingers entwining with mine. I looked over to him to see that his eyes were closed, a content smile lingering on his lips even as his breathing grew heavier and slower with sleep. I smiled and let my head loll onto his shoulder. He shifted a bit so that his head rested on mine.

It suddenly got quiet across from us, and I looked over to see that Beck and Reeni were staring. Reeni was smiling. She winked at me and mouthed, "nice!" I held back a giggle and quickly fell asleep.

When I woke up again, we were descending into JFK international airport. I could see just out the window the millions of lights of the city illuminating the world. The city that never sleeps.

Teddy's hand was still wrapped around mine. His eyes were open and his head was up. He was looking out the window, too.

"Mm, New York," Teddy whispered to me. I snuggled closer to him and he smiled down at me.

"You excited?" I whispered back. He nodded and leaned down to peck me on the forehead. Like a brother. He quickly looked away and I frowned.

We taxied down the runway.

Our summer had begun.


End file.
